Petros (Giakoumelos) of Aksum

His Eminence, the Most Reverend Petros (Giakoumelos) is the Elder Archbishop of Aksum in northeastern Africa, part of the Church of Alexandria. His see is in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, with jurisdiction over Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia.

Life

George Giakoumelos, in 1932, was born in Zakynthos. His collegiate level education began with the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens in Greece. He was ordaineddeacon in 1955 and as a priest in 1956. Fr. Petros continued his education at the Sorbonne, Paris, studying Catechism-Pastoral Theology and Sociology. While attached to the Archdiocese of Elasson, Fr. Petros served as archdeacon, preacher, and Great Chancellor of the Throne. On November 30, 1972, he was elected Archbishop of Askum. During 1996 and 1997, Abp. Petros was appointed also Patriarchal Exarch in the Archdiocese of Kenya and Irenoupolis.